A PARENTS GUIDE TO FOOTBALL RECRUITING
A far from complete and perfect checklist, but hopefully it helps provide a starting point …
ð Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/)
ð Create Hudl highlight video(s)
ð Create a profile on www.Scoutingohio.com and post your highlights (you can also follow Mark Porter on Twitter)
ð Email highlights to John McCallister (http://www.msrohio.com/contact/) and inquire if he would be willing to evaluate your highlights
ð Make a spreadsheet of schools most interested in
o The list should contain
§ Head coach / email
§ Recruiting coordinator and/or recruiting coach / email
§ Position coach / email
§ Any special notes (e.g., mascot, mottos) that you can reference to personalize communications
§ Email /communication dates
§ Google search (ex. Air Force Football Directory) to find contact information
o When making the list, consider academics (e.g., admission standards, course offerings, graduation rates), school size, distance, cost and amount of scholarship that may potentially be offered, football program, campus culture, etc.
§ Division 1 (FBS) – 85 full scholarships (equates to about 20 – 25 per recruiting class)
§ Division 1 (FCS) – 63 scholarships that can be divided (i.e., equivalency)
· There are some Division 1 schools that do NOT offer athletic scholarships (e.g., schools in the Pioneer League)
· If rigorous academics are important, consider the “Hidden Ivies” or “Little Ivies” because, unlike the Ivy schools, they can offer athletic scholarships (look up Patriot League schools and visit here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_Ivies)
§ Division II – 36 (equivalency) scholarships (can be divided to fill roster; FAFSA)
§ Division III – no athletic scholarships (but will help look for other financial aid)
§ NAIA – 24 (equivalency) scholarships (can be divided)
§ Ivy League – no athletic scholarships (but will help look for other financial aid)
§ Other considerations when making the list: the school’s history with recruiting in this area, compatibility in style of play, number of spots potentially opening in the position interested in, number of offers/commits already made (can check on 247, scout.com, espn.com to get an idea of these), stats of current position players (i.e., height, weight, speed)
o Include some reach schools, but the majority should be reasonable prospects (even if reasonable with a little stretch)
o Update that list – triggers
§ Communications received from coaches (e.g., add if not already on the list)
§ Scouting reports (e.g., 247, Scout.com) – number of offers already extended, number of offers anticipated for each position, known commitments – these can help you determine how much effort/time to expend chasing a school
§ In January (to account for any changes in coaching staff)
ð Complete recruiting/prospect questionnaires
o Most, if not all, schools have these – look for them with the school’s football information or under the athletic department tab on their websites
o Use the above school list as your checklist for completing forms
o Copy and paste information between forms to make it easier
ð Create a small table/quick glance resume that is easy for coaches to quickly see what you have to offer (e.g., school, class, height, weight, position, stats, athletic and leadership awards, team record, other sports played, GPA, ACT, etc.)
o Email the quick glance resume (in the body of your email – not as an attachment) and your Hudl highlight link to those on your email list
o Emails should be personalized
o Give thought to the subject line (include enough so a coach wants to open it)
o Potential schedule – before junior year (with sophomore highlights), twice during junior year season (mid-season highlights and end of junior year highlights), and again after the new year (mid-January / early February, especially if there have been coaching changes); for schools really interested in, after every game that you have good film for
o Send to any coaches that visit school and show interest but weren’t on the original list
o Update the quick glance resume and send it and highlights to any coaches who are going to be at camps you are registered for
o You can reach out to coaches whenever you want, but be familiar with the NCAA recruiting calendar so you don’t become disappointed if there is a lack of reply (http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/resources/recruiting-calendars/2016-17-division-i-and-ii-recruiting-calendars)
ð Optional – send quick glance resume and Hudl link to the recruiting sites (e.g., 247, scout.com, espn.com) with cover email and see if they will create a profile for you (keeping in mind that getting a profile with them is exceptional, not common, so don’t let it become a discouragement if they don’t create one for you)
ð When coaches visit school and talk to you
o Follow them on Twitter and thank them for following if they follow back
o Add them to your email list if they aren’t already there
o If you haven’t previously sent them your highlight and quick glance resume, do that
ð Attend the McCallister combine (typically held in March) – see previous page for website info
o Especially good if you haven’t attended a camp
o Great opportunity to become familiar with the drills that you’ll do at camps and to gauge your ability compared to others
o Introduce yourself to him – he is a very nice man
o If you are not happy with your performance, he won’t publish your scores
ð Grades and test scores matter and can open doors (this really can’t be overstated)
ð Check social media and remove anything that straddles the line
ð Camps
o Most take place the last week of May – end of June; end of July
o Allow for one to two days between camps to recover and perform your best
o Send “thank you” emails or DM thanks to any coaches that showed interest
o When picking camps, consider
§ Cost and distance
· Would recommend sticking to college camps versus recruiting service camps (McCallister camp being the exception to that statement)
· Would recommend (when available) doing regional camps offered by schools that are otherwise far away, as opposed to traveling – this is unless it is a school camp where there has been a lot of interest expressed by the recruiting coach and/or it is a school at the top of your list
§ OSU camps – a lot of schools beyond OSU are represented here (but a lot of kids, too!) – email coaches at schools you are interested in that may be working at these camps and let them know the date you will be attending so they can keep an eye out for you (Cincinnati and some of the other larger schools also offer some camps where coaches from other schools help at stations)
ð Understand that recruiting can be an emotional, unpredictable roller coaster
o There are coaches that recruit based on the “eye test”
o There are coaches that act interested, but then go radio silent
o In general, most of the DI – FBS scholarships will be extended before camps are over the summer before that class’s senior year (and most are extended even before camps)
o In general, a good portion of the DI-FCS scholarships will be extended during camps leading up to that class’s senior year, through senior season, and then a few after senior season
o In general, there is a longer time frame during which DII and DIII will extend offers
o Attend football games invited to, if you want, but know that there may be a lot of other invitees/prospects, so don’t be disappointed if there isn’t an offer at the end of it – still send a thank you email, text, or DM
o Be proactive
o Remember that no two people will have the exact same recruiting experience
o Try not to take anything personally
A final comment: Stay open to all opportunities that present themselves. Different websites put the likelihood of getting a DI football scholarship at somewhere between 1% and 2-4%. Moreover, the reality is that not every college program is going to have crowds the size of (or anywhere near the size of) those at The Ohio State University, or even have facilities as nice as Hilliard Bradley’s and some of our surrounding schools. (Those statements apply not only to some Division III and II schools, but to some Division I FCS schools, as well.) In your decision making, try to keep the stadium size and newness of the facilities secondary to the quality and value of the education you can receive, the financial burden you can avoid, and the quality of the people you will have the opportunity to play football with and for.
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